Cardboard carton



Dec. 19, 1944.

D. F. CUNNINGHAM CARDBOARD CARTON FiledMay so i942 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII I.

INVENTOR N AM DONALD F.CUNNI 7 A BY ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 19, 1944' Donald F. Cunningham, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Pabst Brewing Company, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 30, 1942, Serial No. 445,151

4 Claims.

This invention appertains to a combined carton and carrier for bottles and is an improvement on the structure shownin the Darragh and Rue application Serial #438,054 filed April 8,

In the mentioned pending application it was necessary to bend or flex the end flaps to insert them inside the outer case for interlocking engagement with the inner bottle partition or filter, when assembling the carton.

One of the primary objects of my invention is .to form the end flaps in such a manner'that the tachably locking the-end flaps to the body-of the case when said end flaps are swunginslde of the case, whereby all danger of the end flaps being dislodged from their normal operative position is eliminated.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction arrangement and formation of parts. as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through my complete carton, showing one of the end flaps in its normal operative position and the, other flap being swung to its lower normal operative position, the section being taken on the line l-l of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a part of the inner filler moved to its raised operative position for facilitating the carrying of the carton.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the carton taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional'view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating the blank from which the outer case is formed.

Referring to the drawing in-deta'il, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts through the several views, the

letter C generally indicates the novel carton,

The case or container l5 can be formed from 'be described in detail.

cardboard or otherpreferable material-and of a size to conveniently hold six bottles of beverage. but obviously the complete device can be formed in different sizes not only for the purpose of receiving different sizes and shapes of bottles but also for the purpose of receiving any desired number of bottles. Likewise both the outer case 10 and the bottle partition filler or insert 25 are preferably of such a construction that the entire device can be shipped in a knockdown or flat condition, and then readily assembled at the point of use.

The outer case I0 is formed from a single blank of sheet material and this blank is shown in detail in Figure 5 and the case includes end walls H and I2, and, side walls l3 and N. The end wall I 2 can have formed one one longitudinal edge a sealing lip l5, which can be securely fastened to the side wall [4 by a suitable adhesive or clips to form the body of the case.

The bottom wall of the case is constructed in the same manner as in the pending application mentioned and briefly the lower edges of the side and end walls carry flaps which are folded to form the bottom wall and these flaps will not The upper edges of the end walls II and I! have formed thereon top end wall flaps l6. These flaps [6 are of a novel construction and form an important part of the'present invention and will be later described in detail. The side walls l3 and it have formed thereon theside .top wall closure flaps l1 and when the carton is assembled these top side wall flaps are folded down over the tops of the bottles.

' Also in accordance v'ith the present invention, the blank has cut therein at the point of juncture of the walls 12, I3, n and Hand-at the the outer longitudinal edge of the side wall I4 is provided with a'notch 20 which is in longitudinal alignment with the slits land this notch is formed so that when the blank is folded, to form the case, the adjacent slot-l9 will not be closed by said side wall.

The top end flaps ii are each bifurcatedor provided with an inwardly directed central slot 2| and the walls of each slot 2| gradually curve outwardly toward the outer ends of the flaps IE to provide a flaring guide entrance mouth 22.

edge of the walls of the case as are the slots l9.

These tongues 23 can be struck out from adiacent portions of the blank. (See Figure 5.)

The insert or bottle partition filler 25 is substantially of the same construction as the mentioned pending application and hence this filler will not be described in great detail, but it is to be noted that the same includes a main sliding body secion 26 and a lower auxiliary section 21. The main body section includes abutting companion side walls 28 joined at their upper ends, and the side edges of these abutting side walls have formed thereon laterally extending wings 29. These wings slidably engage the inner face of the end walls H and I! of the case. Attention is called to the fact that the outer edges of the wings 28 at the upper ends are tapered as at 30 for clearing the locking tongues 23 on the end flaps l6 when the end flaps are swung into the case as will be later described. Thev upper end of the sliding main body section 25 of the insert or filler is shaped to form a hand grip or handle and consequently the abutting walls 28 are provided with registering slots SI' and the side edges of these abutting walls are inclined or curved downwardly to define the handle and to form guide surfaces, the purpose 01' which will later appear.

At the bottling plant the cases I are folded and set up and the inserts 25 are assembled and placed in the cases. The end flaps l6 are now swung down inside of each case and it is to be noted that the slots 2| are in longitudinal alignment with the handle of the filler and these slots are of such a depth as to clear the handle or if preferred the inner walls of the slots can ride on the inclined or curved outer edges of the handle. But in all events, the slots 2| permit the swinging of the end flaps IJG into the case without bending or flexing. The end flaps ii are swung into the case and over the wings 29 of the insert or filler until the locking tongues 23 snap into the slots l9, which effectively hold the end flaps in their folded condition against movement. These end flaps l6, then define, in conjunction with the end walls H and l2, guide ways or tracks for the wings 29 on the insert.

The cases can now be conveniently filled with the bottles from a bottle loading machine, as it can be seen that the tops of the cases are entirely clear of all obstructions.

When a customer purchases a carton of bottles, the handle portion of the insert is grasped and pulled-upwardly. This slides the main portion of the insert within the case, and the handle portion will be disposed exteriorly of the case whereby the container can be conveniently carried by the purchaser, I

When the main portion 26 of the insert is slid upwardly, the upper edges of the wings 29 will strike the score lines for the end flaps l8 and the upper edges of the wings will rest against the case at the point of juncture of the flaps with the end walls H and I2. Thus further upward movement of the insert is prevented. As stated,

aseas'ae parting from the spirit or scope of my invention,

but what I claim as new is:

1. A combined bottle carrier and carton comprising an outer case, a bottle partition filler fitted in said case including a sliding central partition wall and laterally extending wings on the ends of said partition wall, said wings having a sliding engagement with the end walls of the case, said case also including swinging cover flaps moveable inside of the case parallel with the wings and the end walls of the case and into engagement with the wings for retaining the filler in place, the cover flaps each being provided with a central slot for clearing the partition during the swinging oi the flaps into the case, the case having keeper slots therein, and laterally extending locking tongues on the sides of the flaps moveable into the keeper slots when the flaps are swung into engagement with the wings, the flaps defining in conjunction with the end walls of the case a slide guide way for said wings.

2. A combined bottle carrier and carton comprising an outer case, a bottle partition filler fitted in said case including a sliding central partition wall and laterally extending wings on the ends of said partition wall, said wings having a, sliding engagement with the end walls of the case, said case also including swinging cover flaps movable inside of the case parallel with the wings and the end walls of the case and into engagement with the wings for retaining the filler in place, the cover flaps each being provided with a central slot for clearing the partition during the swinging of the flaps into the case, the case having keeper slots therein, and laterally extending locking tongues on the sides of the flaps moveable into the keeper slots when the flaps are swung into engagement with the wings, the flaps defining in conjunction with the end walls of the case a slide guide way for said wings, the walls of the slots in said flaps being inclined outwardly to form wide flaring guide mouths.

3. A combined bottle carrier and carton comprising an outer case, a bottle partition filler fitted in said case including a sliding central partition wall and laterally extending wings on the ends of said partition-wall, said w ngs having a sliding engagement with the end walls of the case, said case also including swinging cover flaps moveable inside of the case parallel with the wings and the end walls of the case and into engagement with the wings for holding the fillerin place, the cover flaps each being provided with a central slot for clearing the partition during the swinging of the flaps into the case, the case having keeper slots therein, and laterally extending locking tongues on the sides of the flaps moveable into the keeper slots when the flaps are swung into engagement with the wings, the flaps defining in conjunction with the end walls of the case a slide guide way for said wings, the walls of the slots in said flaps being inclined outwardly to form flaring guide mouths, the ends of said wings at their upper portions being dislodgment of the end flaps I6 is prevented due tapered whereby to clear said locking tongues 2,865,383 3 upon upward sliding movement of the central partition.

4. A combined bottle carrier and carton comprising an outer case having side and end walls,

a removable bottle partition filler slidably fitted in said case including a central partition extending from one end of the case to the other having laterally extending wings on each end thereof, the wings slidably engaging the end walls of the case, said case also including end cover flaps formed on the end walls movable inside v of the case over and into engagement with said 10 ment.

DONALD CUNNINGHAM. 

